The invention relates to a rail which can be bound, by means of a strap, to an elongate object, in particular a cable harness or a line, and has a bearing surface, which is intended to rest against the object, and a binding surface, which is directed away from the bearing surface and accommodates the strap.
For the purpose of fixing cable harnesses, lines or other elongate objects on a carrying structure, it is known to use rails which, on the one hand, are designed for connection to the elongate object and, on the other hand, have a means for fixing on the carrying structure. They are elongate and, in the direction facing the elongate object, have a bearing surface against which this object can rest. For the purpose of better force transmission, the bearing surface may be adapted to the shape of the elongate object. The rail is bound to the elongate object. For this purpose, use is usually made of cross-sectionally flat straps, in particular straps made of plastics material, these being commercially available in the form of so-called cable straps. The straps wrap around the elongate object and the rail with a predetermined level of tensioning, that surface of the rail which is directed away from the object being subjected to a binding force by the straps. This surface is therefore referred to, in the present context, as a binding surface. In order to provide sufficient support for the object which is to be bound, the rail has a length which is considerably greater than the width of a strap used for binding purposes. In the case of known rails (FR-A-2861157), this has the disadvantage that the rail is positioned in an unreliable manner in relation to the strap because the strap can slip along the rail. In order to increase the fastening reliability, it has been proposed to provide, on the underside of the rail, latching teeth which are designed for engaging in the strap of the cable binder (DE-A-19704674). However, since the strap of the cable binder, for reasons relating to a high retaining force, usually consists of tough material, the latching teeth cannot penetrate to a sufficient extent or break off under the action of excessive force. In order to avoid this risk, it has further been proposed to replace the latching teeth by a web-like protrusion on the underside, a corresponding longitudinal slot being formed in the strap of the cable binder, in which case the protrusion can engage therein. This means, however, that the strap is positioned rigidly in relation to the rail, in which case installation can take place only in precisely one position. This makes handling more difficult or it is necessary to have high-outlay cable binders which are integrally formed specially in captive fashion on the rail (DE-A-19843633). The former case involves high outlay in respect of installation, and the second variant mentioned involves high outlay in respect of production.
An object is to provide an improved rail which, allowing for easy installation, reliably retains the strap on the rail.